Tulip Tree

Scientific name: Liriodendron tulipifera

Family: Magnoliaceae (Magnolia family)

Also known as yellow poplar or tulip poplar, this tall native tree is found throughout Ohio and is named for its distinct tulip-shaped flowers and leaves. Yellow poplar grows rapidly and frequents moist woodlands, especially on lower slopes. It is planted as a fast-growing ornamental tree, and its lightweight, olive-green wood is often used as a base for veneer. It prefers moist, well-drained soil but adapts to drier soils of neutral to alkaline pH. Yellow poplar can suffer from a variety of pests and diseases, with magnolia scale and yellow poplar weevil being the most significant pests. Its interior leaves will yellow when the soil is too dry.

Identification

LEAF: Alternate, simple, 5 to 7 inches in size, generally four-lobed, with squared-off, broadly notched tips, changing from bright green to vibrant yellow in autumn.

TWIGS AND BUDS: Twigs are green to purplish in summer; reddish-brown and shiny in winter. Winter terminal buds are flattened, and smooth, with non-overlapping scales, and they resemble a duck bill. Spongy, white diaphragmed pith.

FLOWER: Bloom in May and June, with large tulip-shaped flowers with six greenish-yellow petals and a splash of orange at the base. Provide nectar for hummingbirds.

FRUIT OR SEED: At first green, turning light brown when ripe in autumn; upright cone-like, 3 inches long, aggregate of winged seeds. Serve as food for birds, squirrels, and mammals in winter.

BARK: Immature smooth gray bark becomes striated (with vertical lines) before it develops the deep fissures and tall, interlacing ridges that characterize the mature bark of this species. Young trees are dark green and smooth, and older trees are dark gray and furrowed.

SHAPE: Symmetrical and pyramidal; known for its long, straight trunks lacking lower branches.

MATURE HEIGHT: 80-120 feet.

Photo credits: ©Arthur Haines (Native Plant Trust), ©Bruce Kirchoff, https://flic.kr/p/x2aUs9 (CC BY 2.0), Steven Baskauf © 2024 (CC-BY-NC-SA), Arieh Tal (https://botphoto.info)